I was glad to get a card from Crow today showing him in apparently fine spirits and enjoying a lovely landscape in good company. Hopefully, I'll be able to provide him with a colored version of this nice scene on his return.
In the meanwhile, we're in search of a new and different place to live, a quest that's proving all the more complicated because of computerized listings. Do you remember the days when an apartment search simply involved buying the daily newspaper and reading the classifieds? Back then people used to put signs on the front lawn too. It's not like that any more. Now you must look online under 'apartments for rent (in the city of your choice)' where you will likely find several hundred companies that provide listings of places available.
Listings are abundant on major sites like Kijiji, Craigslist, and Padmapper (!) but many, many more are only posted on the sites of the large companies that own the buildings which will lead you to jotting down a potentially interesting address and googling the place when you get home - often to discover you've been looking hopefully at a condo. No, buying isn't an option.
Halifax has very strict fixed lease laws most of which are signed for a year. Since it's a university town we've run into a lot of places being advertised right now as summer sublets for students who intend to return in September. Even though we're not interested in a 3 month rental, it's impossible to filter these ads out of our searches and some of them are very sly. We saw pictures of one apartment that had the Eiffel Tower outside the window. Another was an apartment in the building where we live that showed photographs of and described what could only have been a multi-million dollar place in NYC. I am certain there are no apartments in this building that have a marble pool in the bathroom nor a landscaped terrace garden filled with roses and fruited vines.
Although it's no surprise that students eager to avoid extra rent payments are less than honest, it's also a fact that landlords have a tendency to do the same. Walking in the park is preferable but the only real way to know whether or not the place you've found on the internet is worth considering is to go there. It's a good thing we enjoy exercise because finding the right place may take a while.
Do you have any special projects this spring? Personally, I'd rather be hanging out with Crow, wherever he is.
♡
Owning a house means a summer work list. At the beginning of winter I will find that my list was over enthusiastic and many chores will be carried over to next year's list (that I will not complete.)
ReplyDeletethe Ol'Buzzard
I know what you mean. I'd love to have a garden but I'd probably get overwhelmed pretty fast.
DeleteMoving is one of the unpleasant side effects of civilization; there should be a pill for such things. Good luck on living next to La Tour Eiffel, though I hear the Taj Mahal is quite nice, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure moving used to be a lot more fun.
DeleteNext month I am going camping at a local state park and will do a lot of hiking and birdwatching. I am going to see the DMB in concert in June. Other than that it's work, work, work with some relaxation thrown in at every available opportunity.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the search for an apartment. :)
Camping is good and so's music. Sometimes the best summers are the ones where a few solid plans lead to great adventures. I hope that's what happens for you.
DeleteHaving gone back to work, I'll have a busy time until the end of June. Maybe even beyond.
ReplyDeleteAfter that? Watching birds, riding my bike, playing with the grandchildren.
I'm so glad we sold our house last year.
Happy apartment hunting. We just found a wonderful place, almost by accident. Tough move, but into a good suite.
I hope the work you've so kindly taken on gives you some moments of great pleasure. The rest certainly sounds promising.
DeleteI hope we have similar luck in finding the right place for us. Thanks.
Oh dear, apartment hunting is a tough one. I wish you all the best of luck in finding the right one!
ReplyDeleteBeing a home owner means work around home. Like Ol'Buzzard, the long list keeps being bumped to next year :-) but finally we are tackling some things. I've finished painting my flat files and we moved them into the studio yesterday. Now they are airing out (dang smelly paint!) before I start to fill them with my work which is in a variety of portfolios around the house. Then there's the garden, window washing, etc., all the joys of home ownership, I believe it is called. Plus we'll be getting ready for the 'English' family's return home this summer whilst youngest daughter will be moving out to her first condo apartment (another story in Vancouver's expensive housing market!). Yet, I'm not ready to move until they carry me out.
Thanks, Marja-Leena. We're going to need some luck and good timing as well.
DeleteIt's good you've managed to get as much done as you have these past months and I'm sure your studio will be a lot more comfortable and convenient. I know there's always endless work to be done when you own a house but I know for sure your garden provides much pleasure. Your pictures of it have always been delightful to see.
I'm very happy for you as you anticipate your English family's return and many congratulations to your daughter on her new place. Vancouver prices far outweigh many around here.
hello...I AM here!! at least for the moment...sigh... well, anyway, i do apologize i haven't been by nor commented nor anything but i am needing to do something different about my connection and living where i do, i don't have many other choices. anyway, as always i love your illustrating and this is no different. how you convey so much emotion in these drawings amaze me. the little girl is really pumping high on that swing :)
ReplyDeletethis will be wonderful painted, i can imagine it as you would do it and cannot wait to see...hoping you have better luck in the coming weeks in finding the perfect-or well, there isn't any such thing but something suitable. it sounds so difficult. we live nearby a college town and it is difficult to find a place for older people who want nice surroundings and peace. i wish you much luck, good fortune, lucky pennies in the fountain, salt over shoulder and whatever else... mantras? ok, you get the idea..must post this before i lose my connect. xoxoxo
Hello, my friend, and welcome back. I'm delighted you like the new Crow drawing and his young friend on her swing. He seems to be enjoying himself no end :-)
DeleteI don't so much mind living among college students as I do the sheer anonymity of being in such a large building. Thanks so very much for your good wishes which I'm sure will help a lot.
xoxo
Moving is a huge pain. As for projects? Find a job!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is. I wish you the best of good luck in finding something worthy of your talents.
DeleteTime to get retro and return to the classified ads in the local paper. Best luck!
ReplyDeleteI've been on vacation this past week and had lofty plans to repaint a hallway but the weather was just too nice. I did hang a lot of laundry out on the line, which I love to do. :-)
When the weather's so nice after a long winter hanging clothes on an outdoor line makes the most sense. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.
DeleteThanks for the good wishes :-)
Best of luck to you on this quest - so much depends on these choices, unless we're willing to make choices, learn from experiences, and try again. I'm personally tired of moving and wishing you a nice long stay at your next place!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your encouragement. Would you believe we've never unpacked all our stuff since we arrived 18 months ago? We're keeping our fingers crossed we'll find some good wall for our pictures.
DeleteI think it's wonderful that Crow keeps that vintage aircraft of his in the air. I know he also likes to use the hot air balloon. I'd much rather hang out with him myself, but not these days. I'll be leaving for a cross country road trip to Northern California next Saturday.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, I know you know that I have some experience with moving as my blog post, "Moving by the N umbers" will prove. And each time we moved, we had to look for another place. Yes, some of these fell into our laps, but not without some work on our part. You see, we would find an area, and even in some cases the building, we wanted to live in and started from there. Relentless driving and walking around neighborhoods, talking to people, knocking on doors. Some folks just don't advertise. I remember finding out about the Cabinette because someone knew someone that had told them they were moving out of it.
At least you see this might take some time. I wish you the best of luck in finding the right place.
Take care and be well.
Much Peace
I hope you have a great trip to the west coast - I wouldn't mind being there myself.
DeleteWe've had a fair amount of experience finding just the right place too. The problem around here is that rents have been inflated by a very large student population. It also turns out there are many more condos than we realized but we keep looking and keep our fingers crossed. Thanks for the well wishes and Peace in your travels, Spado.
hello dear susan, i am on dicey connection again but thank you for the link. i am thinking about buying some although i usually do not care for the pans. these sound juicier?
ReplyDeletei hope to perhaps have things restored as if i knew.... nor does anyone else seem to know... satellite co. says they don't get it. i have to use two diff. servers and one of the problem seems to be the "secure" setting in wordpress. strangely... so i cannot get over there often enough. and it's really irritating me... sigh....it's not worth the stress however and i am fast preparing to let all internet go if this keeps up. probably email would have been better for this but that's not reliable because again, the secure issue... much lovexxxx
It's funny when I remember all my old paintings came out of one old Pelikan pan set. The more tubes I have, the more confused I'm capable of getting.
DeleteI do hope your internet trials are over soon.
xoxo
My special project is to remain sane. BEYOND THAT, of course, is to plant some ground cover in a sloping section of my backyard where the sun refuses to shine (not THAT place ... ye of dirty minds!!). I actually found a ground cover that thrives in low or minimal light. But no one seems to carry it any more. My goal: Find someone who does. So there! ;-)
ReplyDeleteIf you can't find what you're looking for maybe somebody around there can supply you with hostas. They're a nice ground cover and make pretty yellow flowers in spring. Good luck finding what you want.
DeleteOh. And moving is such a drag. I moved at least 15 times (home and office) between 1996 and 2006. I'm "hoping" to stay put in my current location for awhile.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've moved a lot in the same ways too. I'm hoping for a place to hang our pictures and my window crystals.
DeleteGood luck with finding a place you like and want...without seeing 500 you don't! My spring project is to get out in the canoe as often as possible and do just enough yard work and gardening to please the landlord, who is a buddy. Otherwise I'm inclined to long walks with Anna, who has a new-love - birding. Walk. Stop. Photos. Walk. Stop. Photos. I'm enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, my friend. Nice to see you've made it safely through to spring. Your plans sound perfect.
Delete